Birds of a Feather

Chapter 11: Exposed

But it was pointless. In front of his very eyes, Satya began to gasp, clearly unable to breathe. She helplessly clutched her throat, as though trying to force it open.

"HARI PRAKASH!" Arnav yelled, his veins turning to ice. "CALL THE AMBULANCE!"

Running footsteps told him his orders were heard, however, the person who came to a stop beside him was not Hari Prakash, but Khushi.

"What happened?!" she asked urgently, looking at the wheezing form of Satya.

"I don't know!" Arnav answered, trying to keep his voice steady. "One second she was fine and then she just started gasping for air!"

Khushi crouched on the other side of Satya and grabbed her wrist, feeling for something. Her eyes darted to the red rashes, as though she was calculating something.

"Weak, rapid pulse," she murmured. "Hives... edema... tell me clearly, what exactly was she doing before the symptoms started?"

"I told you I don't know!" he replied, desperation colouring his voice. "HARI PRAKASH! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"Look at me," she commanded sternly.

Arnav couldn't help but obey. How could she remain so calm? Couldn't she see that his mother was literally flailing in his arms?

"Snap out it okay?" she continued in the same tone. "Screaming for Hari Prakash is not going to help her right now. Concentrate and tell me what she was doing."

Arnav desperately tried to recollect. "She – she was taking care of the plants... giving them pesticide-"

"Is this her first time?"

"No! She always does it!"

"Did she touch the pesticide with her hands?"

"Of course not, she puts on gloves – what does this have to do with anything?"

Khushi wasn't paying attention, however. She swiftly took off Satya's gloves and threw them aside before checking for her pulse again. Thankfully, Hari Prakash arrived panting, informing him that the ambulance was called. Bless his soul.

"We don't have time for the ambulance," Khushi said. "She is in anaphylactic shock. You people probably don't keep anti-histamines. Is anyone in your family allergic?"

Arnav shook his head. "No! Why? What is ana-whatever shock?"

Khushi groaned and began to mutter under her breath. "Dammit! What was it... anti-histamines... cortisone... epinephrine... beta agon-"

She broke off, her eyes lighting up as though everything in the world suddenly made sense again. "Where does your father keep his medicines?"

Arnav couldn't make head or tails of what he was hearing. What the hell was she talking about?

She didn't wait for him to understand. Turning to Hari Prakash, she ordered him to fetch Shankar's medicine box. Arnav watched in dread as his mother become more and more blotchy, unable to breathe. He gripped her tightly, praying the ambulance was almost here.

Hari Prakash reappeared carrying a bag of medicines. Khushi rummaged through it before quickly pulling out a strange L-shaped tube.

"What the hell are you doing?" Arnav fired when she began to press it into his mother's mouth.

"Calm down Arnav," she replied, not stopping. "I know what I am doing."

"LIKE HELL YOU DO!" he bellowed, furious that she thought this was the time to experiment. "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?! THOSE WERE MEANT FOR MY FATHER-"